Lever actuating napkin dispenser



Sept. 28, 1965 w. A. SAXE LEVER ACTUA'IING NAPKIN DISPENSER Filed April 11, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.I. 5

INVENTOR.

WALTER A. SAXE Sept. 28, 1965 w. A. SAXE 3,208,635

LEVER ACTUATING NAPKIN DISPENSER Filed April 11, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- INVENTOR.

WALTER A.SA XE United States Patent 3,208,635 LEVER ACTUATING NAPKIN DISPENSER Walter A. Saxe, Albany, N.Y., assignor to Saxe Brothers, Inc., Albany, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 272,385 6 Claims. (Cl. 22136) This invention relates to a lever actuating napkin dispenser for dispensing napkins one at a time from a napkin holder in which are emplaced paper napkins.

The problems in the art with which this invention is concerned for purposes of solving same is the need for a lever actuating assembly in cooperative and operative combination with the front cover plate of the napkin holder to dispense napkins one at a time from the supply of napkins contained in the napkin holder; the need for a lever actuating assembly in cooperative and operative combination with the front cover plate of the napkin holder such that the lever actuating assembly may be actuated to dispense a napkin without the need for holding the napkin holder upon dispensing same; the need for a napkin dispenser that will dispense one napkin at a time and which at the time of dispensing will hold firm on the table or other structure upon which the dispenser is located; and the need for a napkin dispenser to dispense napkins one at a time which is durable of construction, cheap to manufacture and easy to assemble.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a lever actuating assembly in cooperative and operative combination with the front cover plate of the napkin holder to dispense therefrom napkins one at a time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lever actuating assembly in cooperative and operative combination with the front cover plate of the napkin holder such that the lever actuating assembly may be actuated to dispense a napkin without the need for holding the napkin holder upon dispensing same.

A further object of this invention is to provide a napkin dispenser that will dispense one napkin at a time and which at the time of dispensing will hold firm on the table or structure upon which the dispenser is located.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a napkin dispenser to dispense napkins one at a time which is durable of construction, cheap to manufacture and easy to assemble.

These and other objects of the invention should be appreciated from the detailed specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the napkin dispenser;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the front cover plate with an exposed View of a portion of the lever actuating assembly;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the third class lever forming part of the lever actuating assembly of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

Reference numeral 1 generally refers to the invention shown in FIG. 1. The napkin holder shown is the same napkin holder for which Eliot Saxe was granted Patent Number 3,066,825 on December 4, 1962, for Napkin Holder.

The only modifications and structural dilferences in this invention over the granted patent lie in the front cover plate 3 and top member 5.

3,208,635 Patented Sept. 28, 1965 The arcuate notched ortion 7 of this invention is similarly formed in the forward periphery 9 of top member 5 in symmetrical arrangement and disposition therewith. The forward periphery 9 of the top member 5 is set back from the front cover plate 3 of this invention. The purpose for these structural differences is to permit the housewife to remove up to six napkins from the napkin holder independently of any function and operation of the lever actuating assembly.

The front cover plate 3 along with the snap cover 11 of this invention functions also to house the lever actuating assembly. The front cover late 3 of this invention also differs structurally from the front cover plate of the granted patent in the absence of the notched out portion. In this invention the removed portion 13 exists only in the upper part of the front cover plate 3, as shown.

Other than these noted structural differences, the napkin holder of the instant invention comprises the same structural elements of the napkin holder of the granted patent and functions on the same manner.

Snap lock assemblies 15, as shown and as will hereinafter be described, are utilized to secure snap cover 11 against the interior side of front cover plate 3 and in abutting relationship therewith.

The first class lever 17 has an actuating arm 19 with an integral stub shaft that is journalled in a complemental recess formed in the snap cover 11. Integral with arm 19 is a D-key shaft 21 which extends upwardly through journal hole 23 formed in front cover plate 3. The manipulating arm 25 of first class lever 17 has a D-key portion removed therefrom and of slightly less dimen sional configuration than key shaft 21 to permit emplacement of arm 25 exterior of front cover plate 3 and securement wtih shaft 21 by force fit.

Integral with and extending upwardly from snap cover 11 is a fulcrum post 27 on which is emplaced a third class lever 29, configured, as shown. Engaged on spring post 31, integral with snap cover 11 and upstanding therefrom, is the tail of a tension spring 33. The other tail of spring 33 is inserted through a tail hole 35 formed in lever 29, as shown. 1

The nose portion 37 of third class lever 29 is engaged by the actuating arm 19 of first class lever 17 to apply force thereat. The end of actuating arm 19 rides upon the surface of the arcuate cut-out portion 39.

An elongated slot 41 formed through the snap cover 11 receives therein the guide 43 integral with the horizontally disposed lifting member 45. Since guide 43 is of slot shape, lifting member 45 is constrained to straight line movement. Integrally formed with lifting member 45 is a small round portion 47 while the end thereof terminates in a rectangularly configured lip 4-9.

The right hand part 51 of lever 29 is J-shaped, as shown. A complemental slot 53 formed therein, as indicated, receives the round portion 47 of lifting member 45. The portion 55 along the J-shaped part 51 is of reduced dimensional thickness, as indicated, to permit the opposite corners of lip 49 to extend thereover and to ride thereon, as shown.

Formed integral with lifting member 45 are three square shaped carriers 57. Each carrier mounts on its periphery a fastener 59 by means of a square portion removed from fastener 59. This square portion dimensionally is slightlyless than the dimension of the carrier 57 such that the square portion will deform and imbed itself in the periphery of carrier 57.

Extending angularly upward from each fastener 59 is a prong 61 which engages the napkin 63 and carries same upwardly in the upward movement of lifting member 45.

The snap lock assembly 15, which has utility separate and apart from this invention, is shown more discernably 3 in FIG. 5. The hook 65 upstanding from front cover plate 3 is beveled at 67, as shown, and has an undercut portion to form a throat 69. The snap cover lll has a well 71 formed therein with a hole 73 formed therethrough complemental to the cross section of hook 65 at the throat 69. Two transverse slots 75 are formed in the well 71, as shown. One of the slots 75 intersects the hole 73.

After alignment of hole 73 with hook 65 and upon depressing hole 73 upon hook 65 with suflicient force, the material between slots 75 will be deformed to the extent that hole 73 will move over the beveled portion 67 of hook 65. Upon hole 73 being moved downwardly to the extent shown in FIG. 6, the deformed material will be relieved and restored with the resulting locking of hole at the throat 69.

All of the foregoing structure may be made of suitable plastic material with the exception of the spring 33. The fasteners 59 may be either of metal or of plastic.

In the operation of the dispenser, reference is made to FIG. 4 showing a stack of napkins 63 adjacent to the snap cover 11. The housewife moves the manipulating arm 25 downwardly with the shaft 21 acting as a fulcrum and resulting movement of actuating arm 19 upwardly against nose portion 37 of third class lever 29. The upward movement of actuating arm 19 effects rotary movement of lever. 29 upwardly from the fulcrum post 27 and against the biasing effect of spring 33. Co-action of slot 53 with round portion 47 and lip 49 of lifting member 45 reciprocates slot shape guide 43 in a straight line direction in elongated slot 41. In the upward movement of the lifting member 45, the prongs mounted on the carriers 57 will engage the napkins and carry same upwardly. Hence a portion of the napkin will be dispensed outside of and above the forward periphery 9 and removed portion 13. The housewife can then release and reactuate the manipulating arm 25, or she can grasp the upper portion of the napkin 63 and pull same from the napkin holder.

Upon release of the manipulating arm 25, tension spring 33 will act to return the lever actuating assembly, comprising the first class lever 17, third class lever 29, the lifting member 45 and their related elements, to the inoperative position of the lever actuating assembly. In the downward return travel of the lifting member 45, the prongs mounted on the carriers 57 will slide over the napkin 63.

The dispenser in the operation of dispensing a napkin will hold firm on the table and requires only finger actuation of manipulating arm 25 to dispense napkins 63 from the napkin holder. The firmness factor arises from the fact that the force component acts downwardly through the napkin holder structure and against the table from the fulcrum at shaft 21.

As utilized in the claims, the term first reciprocating member refers to first class lever 17, other reciprocating member refers to the lifting member 45 and drive means refers to the third class lever 29.

Having thusly described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a napkin holder functioning to hold a supply of napkins and to urge the supply of napkins in one direction for dispensing of same, a front cover plate, a snap cover, said snap cover secured to said front cover plate, a first class lever comprising an actuating arm and a manipulating arm, said actuating arm having a stub shaft at one side and a D-key shaft at the other side, a complemental recess formed in said snap cover for journalling said stub shaft, a hole formed through said front cover plate for journalling said D-key shaft, said manipulating arm disposed exteriorily of said front cover plate and secured to said D-key shaft by press fit, a third class lever mounted on a fulcrum post formed on said snap cover, a tension spring carried by a spring post formed on said snap cover and by a tail hole formed in said third class lever for biasing said third class lever in one direction, a nose portion and an arcuate cut-out portion formed on said third class lever, said actuating arm engaging said nose portion and said arcuate cut-out portion, the right hand part of said third class lever being I-shaped with a slot formed therein and with the portion therearound being of reduced thickness, a lifting member having integral therewith a round portion, lip, slot shape guide and carriers, an elongated slot formed in said snap cover, said elongated slot receiving therein said slot shape guide for constrained straight line movement of said lifting member, said round portion received in the slot of said I-shaped part, said lip having corners extending over and riding upon said portion of reduced thickness, fasteners with prongs mounted on said carriers, said prongs engaging a napkin for carrying and dispensing same from the napkin holder in upward movement of said lifting member effected by downward movement of said manipulating arm.

2. The subject matter as claimed in claim ll, wherein snap lock assemblies are provided to secure said snap cover to said front cover plate, each snap lock assembly comprising a beveled hook integral with and upstanding from said front cover plate, said hook having an undercut portion forming thereby a throat, a well formed in said snap cover, said well having two transverse slots formed therethrough and a hole formed therethrough complemental to the cross-section of said hook at the throat portion thereof, the material between said transverse slots being deformed upon pressing said hole downwardly upon said hook with locking of said hole at the throat portion of said hook effected upon relief from deformation of said material between said transverse slots.

3. In combination with a napkin holder functioning to hold a supply of napkins and to urge said supply of napkins in one direction for dispensing of same, a front cover plate, a snap cover, a first class lever, a third class lever, a tension spring and a lifting member; said snap cover being secured to said front cover plate of said napkin holder, said first class lever being carried by said front cover plate and said snap cover, said third class lever being carried by said snap cover, said first class lever being operatively engaged with said third class lever, said tension spring being carried by said snap cover and said third class lever, said lifting member being carried by said snap cover, said third class lever being operatively connected to said lifting member, said lifting member carrying at least one prong for engagement with the front napkin of said supply of napkins and dispensing of said front napkin from said napkin holder upon movement in one direction of said lifting member; all of said recited structure being so cooperatively and correlatively, associated, arranged and constructed such that upon movement of said first class lever in one discrete direction said lifting member is moved in its direction whereby said front napkin is dispensed.

4. The subject matter as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first class lever comprises an actuating arm and a manipulating arm, wherein said actuating arm is operatively engaged with a nose portion of said third class lever, and wherein upon relief from external force upon said manipulating arm, said tension spring returns said first class lever, third class lever and lifting member to their inoperative positions.

5. In combination with a napkin holder functioning to hold a supply of napkins and to urge the supply of napkins in one direction for dispensing of same through an opening in said holder, a first reciprocating member, a lifting member and a third class lever; said first reciprocating member being a first class lever, said third class lever engaging said first reciprocating member and said lifting member, said first reciprocating member, third class lever and lifting member moving and acting in parallel planes, said lifting member carrying a prong, whereby upon reciprocating said first reciprocating member, drive is transmitted to said lifting member with its prong engaging a napkin to dispense same through the napkin holder opening.

5 6 6. The subject matter as claimed in claim 5, wherein 2,862,642 12/58 Shipman 221-36 said first reciprocating member comprises an actuating 2,943,373 7/60 Rapata 24-216 arm and a manipulating arm. FOREIGN PATENTS References Cited by the Examiner 431,341 7/ 35 Great Britain- UNITED STATES PATENTS LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner. 2,190,100 2/40 Harvey 221-36 2,838,820 6/58 Hakanson 24-216 RAPHAEL 

5. IN COMBINATION WITH A NAPKIN HOLDER FUNCTIONING TO HOLD A SUPPLY OF NAPKINS AND TO URGE THE SUPPLY OF NAPKINS IN ONE DIRECTION FOR DISPENSING OF SAME THROUGH AN OPENING IN SAID HOLDER, A FIRST RECIPROCATING MEMBER, A LIFTING MEMBER AND A THIRD CLASS LEVER; SAID FIRST RECIPROCATING MEMBER BEING A FIRST CALSS LEVER, SAID THIRD CLASS LEVER ENGAGING SAID FIRST RECIPROCATING MEMBER AND SAID LIFTING MEMBER, SAID FIRST RECIPROCATING MEMBER, THIRD CLASS LEVER AND LIFTING MEMBER MOVING AND ACTING IN PARALLEL PLANES, SAID LIFTING MEMBER CARRYING A PRONG, WHEREBY UPON RECIPROCATING SAID FIRST RECIPROCATING MEMBER, DRIVE IS TRANSMITTED TO SAID LIFTING MEMBER WITH ITS PRONG ENGAGING A NAPKIN TO DISPENSE SAME THROUGH THE NAPKIN HOLDER OPENING. 